The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on Tuesday in Enugu urged the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to change council election day from a weekday to a weekend.
ENSIEC fixed Wednesday, Feb. 23 for elections into 260 ward councillorship and 17 chairmanship positions in the state.
It insisted that election could he held on any day of the week and not necessarily on a Saturday.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), IPAC Chairman, Chief Edwin Alor, said it was worried about fixing election on a working day rather than on a Saturday as the step could disenfranchise voters.
He said the choice of a weekday would disfranchise thousands of civil servants who might wish to vote.
“We are worried that the Wednesday, Feb. 23, date will surely and negatively affect civil servants and other residents that will want to vote.
“We are not in support and IPAC sees it as an aberration that needs to be corrected for the benefit of all,’’ he said.
The chairman, however, said that IPAC was yet to make a formal complaint or petition against the development, but a member of IPAC – the All Progressive Congress (APC) – had vehemently kicked against it.
“IPAC will also meet all critical stakeholders on the issue including ENSIEC and possibly engage Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the matter,’’ Chief Alor said. (NAN)
